Objective To observe the effects of 860 MHz microwave radiation on an established dual task model of trace and delay eyeblink conditioning in guinea pigs.Methods Twenty-four guinea pigs with an established dual task model of trace and delay eyeblink conditioning were assigned randomly into four groups : a microwave-exposed 1 h group, a microwave-exposed 20 min group, a sham-exposed group and a normal control group.The guinea pigs in the 1 h and 20 min groups were irradiated on the head daily for 3 days using 860 MHz electromagnetic radiation at a power density of 1 mW/cm2 for 1 h and for 20 min, respectively. After radiation the guinea pigs were trained with classical dual task eyeblink conditioning.Results Compared with the normal control group, the behavioral parameters (acquisition rate and peak amplitude of trace and delay eyeblink) of guinea pigs in the microwave-exposed 1 h group had decreased significantly with no obvious change in latency. The behavioral parameters of guinea pigs in the microwave-exposed 20 min group, the sham-exposed group and the normal control group showed no obvious change.Conclusions Microwave radiation at 860 MHz and 1.0 mW/cm2 for 1 h can cause changes in dual trace and delay eyeblink conditioning in guinea pigs and decrease learning and memory capacity.

Objective To explore the clinical efficacy of CT-Guided radioactive 125I seed implantation in treating retroperitoneal lymph node metastases. Methods Eighteen patients with retroperitoneal lymph node metastases (20 lesions in total) received CT-guided radioactive 125I seed implantation. Treatment planning system (TPS) was used to formulate the therapeutic protocol. The radioactive activity of 125I particle ranged from 1.11 × 107-2.96 × 107 Bq (0.3-0.8 mCi) and the matched peripheral dose (MPD) was 60 -100 Gy. Postoperative dosimetry was routinely performed for all the patients in one week. Postoperative D90 (90%dose received by target volume) was 53 -107 Gy. The patient’s clinical benefit response (CBR), two-month local tumor control rate and one-year survival rate were evaluated, and the complications were recorded. Results All the patients were followed up for 2 -15 months with a median time of 5 months. The one-year survival rate was 22.2%. The clinical benefit rate, overall effective rate and two-month local tumor control rate were 72.2%, 70.0% and 90.0% respectively. No serious complications occurred in all patients. Conclusion For the treatment of retroperitoneal lymph node metastases, CT-guided radioactive 125I seed implantation is mini-invasive with satisfactory short-term effect and fewer complications. Therefore, this technique is a relatively safe therapeutic means.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of adenovirus-mediated endostatin gene transfer on transplanted lung cancer in mice and its mechanism of action.

METHODSTransplant tumor model was induced by subcutaneous inoculation of 2 x 10(6) Lewis lung cancer (LLC) cells into the back of C57BL/6 mice. The mice were treated by intratumoral injection of 2 x 10(9) pfu Ad-mEndostatin. The expression of endostatin in situ and its maintaining time were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western Blot, respectively. The endostatin level in serum was determined by ELISA . The inhibition of tumor growth and changes of survival were recorded and the microvessel density (MVD) was determined by histochemical stainingwith CD31 and CD105 antibodies. The tumor apoptosis was observed by electron microscopy.

RESULTSIn comparison with controls, intratumoral injection of Ad-mEndostatin significantly inhibited the tumor growth and metastasis, and prolonged the survival rate of mice (P < 0.05). Strong positive expression of mEndostatin was seen in the tumor tissue after injection of Ad-mEndostatin, immunhistochemically ostained by mouse endostatin monoclonal antibody, while the control groups showed only very low expression or absence. Serum endostatin concentration was 1540 +/- 560 ng/ml at the second week of administration, the expression of endostatin diminished a month later. The microvessel density (MVD)) decreased from 42.4 +/- 4.8 to 10.5 +/- 3.2 per x 200 magnificetion microscopic field by CD10 staining and from 68.5 +/- 4.5 to 37.5 +/- 4.6 by CD31 staining, respectively (P < 0.05). More apoptotic tumor cells were seen under the transmission electron microscope.

CONCLUSIONEndostatin gene therapy mediated by adenoviral vector efficiently induces expression of endostatin in vivo, and inhibits the growth and metastasis of tumor. It is concluded that its action is targeted to tumor neovasculature and the mechanism is inhibition of tumor angiogenesis.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Angiogenesis Inhibitors ; genetics ; metabolism ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Carcinoma, Lewis Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Endostatins ; genetics ; metabolism ; therapeutic use ; Genetic Therapy ; Genetic Vectors ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Microvessels ; pathology ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; pathology ; Random Allocation ; Transfection ; Tumor Burden

OBJECTIVETo analyze the specificity, sensitivity and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of plasma elafin for diagnosis of skin acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), and to explore its clinical diagnostic value.

METHODSIncidence of skin aGVHD from fifty-three patients received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) were observed prospectively in Guangdong General Hospital from Apr 2010 to Aug 2011. The plasma concentrations of elafin were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Skin biopsies were taken from 28 patients with skin rash, and elafin expression in the skin was detected by immunohistochemistry. Positive expression was defined as significant staining of at 50% of the depth of the epidermis, excluding the granular cell layer and the acrosyringium.

RESULTSAmong 28 patients with skin rash, twenty-five were considered as skin aGVHD by clinical diagnosis, seventeen were confirmed as skin aGVHD by pathological biopsy. 11 cases were elafin positive by immunohistochemical staining. Elafin protein was overexpressed in aGVHD skin tissue (P = 0.001). Plasma concentrations of elafin were significantly higher in patients with skin aGVHD (positive) group than in those without skin aGVHD (negative) group (P = 0.005), among which there being no statistically significant difference in plasma elafin level between patients with grade I skin aGVHD group and negative group(P = 0.971), but being statistically significant difference compared patients with grade II-IV skin aGVHD group with those with grade I skin aGVHD group (P = 0.02) and with negative group (P = 0.008). Using the pathological diagnosis as the gold standard, the estimated specificity and the sensitivity of clinical diagnosis criteria were 27.3% and 100%, respectively, and those of tissue elafin protein level were 100% and 64.7%, respectively. The area under the ROC curve was 0.909 (0.797 - 1.021) when plasma concentrations of elafin was used in diagnosis of skin aGVHD. The sensitivity was 82.4% and the specificity was 81.8 % when the critical value was set at 1456.043 µg/L.

CONCLUSIONPlasma concentration of elafin is significantly higher at the onset of skin aGVHD. It can be used as biochemical marker of skin aGVHD and has higher value in diagnosis of skin aGVHD.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Elafin ; blood ; Female ; Graft vs Host Disease ; blood ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin Diseases ; blood ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Young Adult

This study was purposed to investigate the efficacy and safety of intravenous injecting itraconazole (ITCZ) as empirical antifungal therapy in the patients with hematological malignancies. According to recommendation in IDSA guidebook, the patients suffered from fever during neutropenia and inefficacy of treatment using broad-spectrum antibiotics for 4 days should receive intravenous injection of ITCZ as empirical antifungal therapy. The results showed that the overall clinical response rate to ITCZ injection was 62.9% (22/35), and the success rate of achieving composite endpoints was 54.3% (19/35). Mild adverse reactions were observed in 6 patients (17.1%). The injection of ITCZ was stopped in 2 patents (5.7%) due to adverse reaction. Further analysis revealed that the response rate was higher in patients with fever prior to the start of ITCZ within five days than beyond five days (P = 0.031). The response rate was higher in patients with possible invasive fungus infection (IFI) than that in patients with probable and confirmed IFI (P = 0.002). The prophylactic antifungal treatment during neutropenia displayed no significant influence on efficacy of empirical antifungal therapy with itraconazole (P = 0.054). It is concluded that the good efficacy and safety of empirical ITCZ injection for hematological malignancies patients is efficient and safe.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antifungal Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Itraconazole ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

The aim of this study was to investigate the renal function in 149 patients receiving myeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) from June 2005 to June 2010 in our hospital, and analyze the risk factors resulting in kidney insufficiency and experience in diagnose and therapy. The creatinine clearance (CrCL) and serial creatinine level were evaluated before and after allo-HSCT within 100 days and 1 year. Non-radiation conditioning regimens were used for any patients. The acute kidney insufficiency (AKI) was defined as at least a 1.5-fold rise in serum creatinine level after allo-HSCT within the first 100 days. The chronic kidney insufficiency (CKI) was defined as the creatinine clearance < basal level within 3 months to 1 year after allo-HSCT. The results showed that the kidney insufficiency was found in 41 patients, in which the incidence of AKI was 32/149 (21.5%). CsA, amphotericin B (P = 0.025) and ES (P = 0.022) were defined as risk factors for AKI. The incidence of CKI was 18/138 (13%). cGVHD (P = 0.013) and TA-TMA (P = 0.012) were associated with the development of CKI. The 2-year survival was lower in patients with kidney dysfunction than that in patients without kidney dysfunction (39% vs 74.1%, P < 0.001). The main factors resulting in kidney insufficiency were defined as infection (52%), GVHD (20%), TA-TMA (12%) and tumor relapse (12%). It is concluded that kidney insufficiency is an important complication of allo-HSCT. Careful monitoring kidney function, minimizing the use of amphotericin B, prophylaxis and effective treatment of fungal infection, GVHD and TA-TMA may be effective preventive measures to decrease the incidence of kidney insufficiency.
Acute Kidney Injury ; etiology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Renal Insufficiency ; etiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To examine the expression of HIF-1alpha and CD34 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and nasopharyngitis tissues, evaluate the role of HIF-1alpha and microvessel density (MVD) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma, probe the relationship between HIF-1alpha and MVD. METHOD: The expression of HIF-1alpha was detected in 58 cases with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and 20 samples of nasopharyngitis tissues by immunohistochemical staining SABC methods and SP methods. MVD in tumor was counted by immunostaining with CD34 and analyzed with clinicopathologic parameters. RESULT: The positive rate of HIF-1alpha was 79.31% and 10.00% respectively in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and nasopharyngitis tissues, there was significant difference between them (P<0.01). MVD was 39.74+/-7.41 and 18.43+/-3.24 respectively in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and nasopharyngitis tissues, there was significant difference between them (P<0.01). The expression of HIF-1alpha and MVD were significantly higher in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and in lymph node metastasis group than in no-metastasis group. In different clinical stage, the expression of HIF-1alpha (P<0.05) and MVD (P<0.01) was different. The expression of HIF-1alpha was positively correlated with MVD (P<0.01). CONCLUSION HIF-1alpha may be involved in carcinogenesis, invasion and metastasis of NPC. Visualization plays a key role in invasion and metastasis of NPC. The expression of HIF-1alpha was positively correlated with tumor visualization in NPC. HIF-1alpha is likely to be a potential target of anticancer therapy.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antigens, CD34 ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Male ; Microvessels ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; blood supply ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; Young Adult

The objective of study was to evaluate the clinical values of multiparameter flow cytometry (MPFC) and cytomorphology of bone marrow aspiration(BMA) in detecting bone marrow involvement in patients with B cell Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-NHL). 96 bone marrow samples from the patients with B-NHL were measured by MPFC using CD45/SSC and CD20/SSC gating strategy combined with anti-kappa and anti-lamda monoclonal antibodies, and then compared with results acquired by cytomorphologic analysis of BMA. The results showed that the bone marrow involvement was confirmed by MPFC in 38 cases (39.6%), while it was detected by cytomorphologic analysis of BMA only in 12 cases (12.5%). There was a significant difference between the two methods (p<0.05). 12 positive cases detected by cytomorphologic analysis of BMA were also positive by MPFC. There was no difference of 3-year overall survival rate between negative and positive cases detected by MPFC, but their 4-year overall survival rate was 73.18+/-6.65% and 44.13%+/-19.55% respectively (p<0.05). It is concluded that the MPFC is a more sensitive method for detecting bone marrow involvement in patients with B-NHL than cytomorphologic analysis of BMA. The 4-year overall survival rate of the patients without bone marrow involvement was significant higher than those of patients with bone marrow involvement. Bone marrow involvement in B-NHL detected by MPFC can be useful for clinical evaluation and prognosis prediction.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Marrow ; pathology ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; methods ; Humans ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; pathology ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate ; Young Adult

This study was aimed to investigate the c-kit mutation in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with AML1-ETO and analyze its relation with clinical and laboratorial features and prognosis. PCR and sequencing methods were used to detect the c-kit 17 exon mutations in 31 AML patients with AML1-ETO. The relation of the c-kit mutation with clinical features, results of laboratorial examination and prognosis of disease were analyzed. The results showed that the c-kit mutation was found in 14 out of 31 AML patients and the mutation frequency was 45.16%. Male patients had a higher incidence of c-kit mutation than that of female patients (P = 0.020). The proportion of patients with newly diagnosed white blood cell>10×10(9)/L and with extramedullary infiltration in mutated group were higher than those in unmutated group respectively. No significant difference was observed at the age (P = 0.437) and the rate of bone marrow blasts(P = 0.510) between the above mentioned two groups. The difference in complete remission rate (64.29% vs 80%, P = 0.344)and relapse rate (58.33% vs 21.43%, P = 0.054) between c-kit mutated and c-kit unmutated groups were not significant. While the c-kit mutated group had a significant higher death rate as compared with c-kit unmutated group (57.14% vs 20%, P = 0.039). It is concluded that the c-kit mutation is frequent in AML patients with AML1-ETO and the c-kit mutated patients have a poor prognosis. It is important to detect c-kit mutation in routine clinical practice for patient's risk stratification, evaluation of prognosis and selection of effective treatment.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; genetics ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; genetics ; Prognosis ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; genetics ; RUNX1 Translocation Partner 1 Protein ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult